Water, the most crucial resource for sustainable agricultural production in the dry land/rain fed areas, is not being used fully. Much of the rainfall runs off the ground. The runoff does not only causes loss of water but it also washes away precious top soil.

Ganga river basin is the largest river basin in India in terms of catchment area, constituting 26% of the country's land mass (8,61,404 Sq. km) and supporting about 43% of its population (448.3 million as per 2001 census).